Process for preparing 1,3-propanediol derivatives

ABSTRACT

Process for preparing 1,3-propanediol derivatives which comprises reacting an oxetane compound of the formula: WHEREIN R is a lower alkyl group substituted or not with halogen, aryl, hydroxyl, lower alkoxy or aryloxy with an amine of the formula: WHEREIN R&#39;&#39; is a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group or a cycloalkyl group and R&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; is a lower alkyl group or a cycloalkyl group or, when taken together with the adjacent nitrogen atom, they represent a nitrogen containing saturated heterocyclic group in the presence of a phenol to give a 1,3-propanediol compound of the formula: WHEREIN R, R&#39;&#39; and R&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; are each as defined above.

United States Patent [72] Inventors [32] Priority Jan. 18,1969 [33] ,Iapan l 1 44/3557 [54] PROCESS FOR PREPARING 1,3-PROPANEDIOL DERIVATIVES 4 Claims, N0 Drawings [52] US. Cl 260/2941, 260/3265, 260/570.5, 260/584, 260/333 [51] Int. Cl t C07d 29/16 [50] Field of Search 260/584,

570.5, 294.7 R, 294.7 M, 326.5 N, 326.5 M

[56] References Cited OTHER REFERENCES JACS, vol. 76: 2789- 2790(1954),Searles et al. Primary Examiner-Henry R. Jiles Assistant Examiner-S. D. Winters Attorney li/enderoth, Ponack ABSTRACT: Process for preparing 1,3-propanediol derivatives which comprises reacting an oxetane compound of the formula:

wherein R is a lower alkyl group substituted or not with halogen, aryl, hydroxyl, lower alkoxy or aryloxy with an amine of the formula:

wherein R is a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group or a cycloalkyl group and R" is a lower alkyl group or a cycloalkyl group or, when taken together with the adjacent nitrogen atom, they represent a nitrogen containing saturated heterocyclic group in the presence of a phenol to give a 1,3- propanediol compound of the formula:

wherein R, R and R" are each as defined above.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing 1,3- propanediol derivatives. More particularly, it relates to an improved process for preparing 1,3-propanediol derivatives from oxetane derivatives.

The ring-opening reaction of ethylene oxide and its derivatives with primary or secondary amines is well known. Different from an epoxy ring, however, an oxetane ring is hardly opened with primary or secondary amines. Particularly when the amine used for the opening is a secondary amine bearing a relatively bulky substituent, the reaction rate is markedly low. Although the presence of water or an alcohol in the reaction system is somewhat effective in improving the reaction rate, such improvement effect is insufficient and unsatisfactory in case of using a bulky substituent-bearing secondary amine as the reactant.

It has now been found that the oxetane ring in oxetane derivatives can be quite easily opened with primary or secondary amines in the presence of phenols to afford l,3 propanediol derivatives in much higher yields, compared with the ring opening in the absence of phenols. This finding is particularly appreciable in providing the advantageous effect even when a bulky substituent-bearing secondary amine is used. In view of the previous knowledge that acid catalysts have no effect in accelerating the ring-opening reaction of this kind [8. Searles et al.: J.Am.Chem.Soe., 76, 2789 1954)], the above finding is of surprising and unexpected nature. In addition, the use of phenols is advantageous in preventing the byproduction of colored impurities as otherwise produced and hardly removable and yielding the colorless reaction product being highly pure.

Thus, the present invention is concerned with a process for preparing 1,3-propanediol derivatives which comprises reacting an oxetane compound of the formula;

(BEECH R-?(}3H2 wherein R is a lower alkyl group (e.g., methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl) substituted or not with halogen (e.g., chlorine, bromine), aryl (e.g., phenyl, tolyl), hydroxyl, lower alkoxy (e.g., methoxy, ethoxy, propoxy, butoxy) or aryloxy (e.g., phenyloxy, tolyloxy) with an amine of the formula:

R" in wherein R is a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group (e.g., methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl) or a eycloalkyl group (e.g., cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl) and R is a lower alkyl group (e.g., methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl) or a cycloalkyl group (e.g., cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl) or, when taken together with the adjacent nitrogen atom, they represent a nitrogencontaining saturated heterocyclic group (e.g., pyrrolidino,

piperidino) in the presence of a phenol to give a 1,3- propanediol compound of the formula:

wherein R, R and R" are each as defined above.

As the phenol, there may be used, for instance, monohydric phenols (e.g., phenol, cresol, xylenol), polyhydric phenols (e.g., catechol, resorcinol, hydroquinone, pyrogallol), electronegative atom or group-bearing phenols (e.g., monochlorophenol, dichlorophenol, trichlorophenol, mononitrophenol, dinitrophenol, picric acid), etc.

The amine [ll] is ordinarily employed in an equimolar amount or in slightly excess to the oxetane compound [I]. The use of the amine [ll] in much excess may rather result in depression of the reaction rate. The larger amount of the phenol generally makes the reaction rate and the yield higher, but its use in too excess will cause troubles in recovery of the reaction product and the catalysts and is not economical. Normally, the use of 0.3 to L5 mol of the phenol per mol of the oxetane compound [I] is favored. Even when used in a smaller amount, i.e., about 0.01 to 0.1 mol, it is still effective somewhat for acceleration of the reaction, particularly for prevention of the reaction product from contamination with hardly removable, colored impurities.

The reaction temperature may be usually from 150 to 230 C. Higher temperatures (i.e., about 250 C. or higher) are not favorable because of the proceeding of side-reactions such as polymerization and decomposition, although a higher reaction rate is attained with elevation of the reaction temperature.

As mentioned above, water or an alcohol can accelerate the reaction rate in certain cases and may be also presented in the reaction system.

The 1,3-propanediol derivatives prepared by the process of this invention are useful as the materials for improving the dyeability of linear polyesters with acid dyes. For instance, they are polycondensed with dicarboxylic acids in manners as conventionally employed for the production of polyesters. The resultant polymers possess excellent dyeability with acid dyes and are used as such or for blending into other polyesters.

Practical and presently preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustratively shown in the following examples.

EXAMPLE 1 In a 500 ml. volume autoclave, 3-hydroxymethyl-3- mcthyloxetane 102 g.), diethylaminc 1 10 g.) and phenol (94 g.) are charged, and the atmosphere is replaced by nitrogen gas. The autoclave is heated to 200 C. while stirring and maintained at the temperature for 16 hours. After cooling to room temperature, the reaction mixture is taken out and fractionally distilled whereby unreacted diethylamine and phenol are recovered under atmospheric pressure, unreacted oxetane is recovered under reduced pressure and then 2-mcthyl-2- diethylaminomethyl-l ,3-propanediol 145 g.) boiling at 93 to 95 C./0.4 mm. Hg is obtained. The product is shaken with 1 percent aqueous sodium hydroxide solution (300 ml.) to eliminate contaminating phenol, extracted with ether and then concentrated. The resulting material is pure 2-methyl-2- diethylaminomethyl-l ,3-propanediol.

3 4 Some of the l, 3-propanediol compounds [Ill] obtained by EXAMPLE 3 reacting the oxetane compounds [I] with the amines [ll] in the same manner as above are shown in the following table: A certain amount of the phenol as the catalyst is added to 3- TABLE 1 Starting material Product Boiling point, Yield, Oxetane Grams Amine Grams 1,3-propanediol C, Q HOCHZ CH 102 C2H5 110 HO CH1 CH OH 93-95 145 H O CH2 C2 5 Hac C 2N(C2H5)2 Same as above 102 n-CaH1 152 HO CH2 /CH2OH 9 94-96 166 Il-CJHT Hgc CH7N(C3H7)2 Do c 102 nC4Ho 194 HOCHz /CH:OH 113 170 n-C4H9 H3O CH2N(C H ;)g

Do. H 102 149 HOCHz CHzOH 147 191 NH2 \C/ H CHzNH HO CH2 CH: 116 11-03117 152 HO CH2 CHzOH 3 107-108 173 H562 Cz II-C H7 H502 CHzN(C H1); HOCH: CH2 118 02115 110 HOCHz CHZOH 143 143 HOC'l CH 0 H; HOCHz CHzN(C2H5)z 1 0.4 mm. Hg. 1 0.1 mm. Hg 3 0.2 mm. Hg.

EXAMPLE 2 hydroxymethyl-Ii-methyloxetane (1.0 mol) and diethylamine A mixture of 3-hydroxymethyl-3-methyloxetane (1.0 mol) al i g resulting mlgture is ligated i a and the amine [ll] ([5 mol) incorporated with or without 32;? g f g 2 oxe f phenol 1.0 mol) is heated at 200 c. for 16 or 2.5 hours. The Yammome Pmpam F f yield of the produced I, 3 propanediol compound In is by gas c romatography. The results are shown in the following determined by gas chromatography. The results are shown in table: the following table:

TABLE 2 TABLE 3 Yield based Amount of catalyst (mol) Reaction. on oxetane Amine Phenol time (hrs) (percent) n-C 4H9 Added 16 74 5(} Catalyst:

N at added 16 3 Pyrogallol HN Catechol Rcsorcinolm n-C4Ho Hydroquinone Phenol .4 n-CaH7 Added 16 81 o-Crcsol Not added. 16 12 m-CresoL HN p-Cresol .n 2,6-xy1eno1 11-O3H 2,4-Xy1en o1. 3,5-xylcnol OZHS Added 16 85 p'chlorophenol Not added. 16 18 2,4,6-tnchlorophenol HN o-Nitrophenol 6O p-Nitrophenol. C2H5 2,4-dinitrophenol Plcric acid CII:CH: Added 16 100 Not added Not added 16 86 HN CH:

Added 2.5 95 CII2CH: Not added. 2. 5 39 II2N-11-C41I0 Added A 16 100 Not added 16 83 EXAMPLE4 Added 2. 5 100 Not nddetL 2, 5 33 H2N C(Clma Added u 16 90 In the presence of phenol (1.0 mol), S-hydroxymethyl-Ii- Not added 16 32 methyloxetane 1.0 mol) is reacted with a certain amount of Added 1 00 diethylamine at 200 C for 14 hours. The yield of the H NH2 Not added" 16 66 produced 2-methyl-2-diethylaminomethyll ,3-propanediol is Added 2.5 78 determined by gas chromatography The results are shown in Not added. 2. 5

4 th vewivse Table 4 amount of diethylaminc in the presence ol an equimolnr amount of phenol at 200 for 16 hours. The yield of the g i produced l,3-propanediol compound is determined by gas Amour" of at ix? chromatography. The results are shown in table 7:

What is claimed is: 035 28 l. A process for preparing l,3-propanediol derivatives 1.06 which comprises reacting an oxetane compound of the formu- |.39 3 la: 1.14 83 2.6] 77 10 a 3.47 60 CH OH 511 2 RC CH CII:-(') Example 5 l5 In the presence of phenol (10 mol) 3- y y wherein R is n lower nlkyl group substituted or not Wllll cthyloxctfme (L0 mol) reacted f f L5 "l halogen, nryl, hydroxyl, lower alkoxy or ziryloxy with an illlllllt' at a certain temperature for a certain period ot time. lhe yield Oflhc formula: of the produced 2-ethyl-2-diethylaminomethyll ,3- propanediol is determined by gas chromatography. The results are shown in the following table:

Table 5 Reaction temperature Reaction time Yield based on oxetanc R (*C) om. t

8 wherein R is a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group or a L38 :2 2; cycloalkyl group and R" is a lower alkyl group or a cycloalkyl group or, when taken together with the adjacent nitrogen atom, they represent a nitrogen-containing saturated hetero- EXAMPLE 6 cyclic group in the presence of a phenol to give a 1,3- In the presence of a certain amount of phenol, 3-hydrox- Propanedlo' compound Ofthe formula: ymethyl-3-methyloxetane (102 g., 1 mol) is reacted with diethylamine (73 gr, 1 mol) at 210 C. for l6 hours. The yield and coloration of the produced 2-methyl-2- (EHQOH R diethylaminomethyl-l,3-propanediol after distillation are RCCHN shown in the following table: (Emmi Table 6 I 40 ;2; 2:? Common wherein R, R and R are each as defined above.

2. The process according to claim I, wherein the phenol is 0 487 Yellwmbmw" the one selected from the group consisting of monohydric g'g a phenols, polyhydric phenols and electronegative atom or 0:10 77:4 None group-bearing P None 3. The process according to claim 1, wherein the reaction is effected at a temperature from 150 to 230 C. EXAMPLE 7 4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the phenol is An oxetane compound i retracted i h an i l used in 0.01 to 1.5 mol per mol ofthe oxetane compound.

TABLE 7 Yield Oxetano Product (percent) HOCH; CH2 IIOCH2 CIIzN(CzU5)z 72 H COCfiz cz HaCOC: CHzOII HOCE: Cg: H005: /CH2N(C2H5)2 50 /C/ @oc'm CHZ @OOH; CHzOH IIOCH: CH2 HOCHz CH2N(C2H5)2 68 ClCfia Cfiz CICz CHzOH 

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the phenol is the one selected from the group consisting of monohydric phenols, polyhydric phenols and electronegative atom or group-bearing phenols.
 3. The process according to claim 1, wherein the reaction is effected at a temperature from 150* to 230* C.
 4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the phenol is used in 0.01 to 1.5 mol per mol of the oxetane compound. 